The Christmas Carol
I ran to Jesus in the stable, the second divine Person,
sleeping on straw in the manger, in the shadow of the ox and donkey.
The donkey and the ox are good, sweet, and holy guards for him,
their bodies warm him, and their breath settles on his cold little body.
…
And so from the very beginning, the Redeemer of the weakest asks for help,
for the wise and the mighty and the proud are asleep, and will not rise at night,
to see some star and a little naked child in the stable,
who has a manger instead of a cradle and is tended by the donkey and the ox;
what kind of king cries on the straw in the manger or in a trough
and lets himself be breathed upon by irrational cattle. –
…
But to you, good animals, great grace has been granted,
with the Virgin Mary and Saint Joseph you welcomed your Lord first.
…
I ran to you, I know there's no closer place than the manger,
and pressing against you while crying (you are perfumed like meadows)
I turn my pleading eyes to your moist goodness:
once you warm little Jesus, warm me as well!
(Bohuslav Reynek /1892–1971/,
excerpt from the poem The Christmas Carol from the collection Thirst, 1921)
